


Wheel of Fortune

by orphan_account



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, Rating May Change, Season 7 AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21638317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Arriving in Atlas with Ruby and her friends meant facing problems Qrow wasn't quite ready to confront yet. It doesn't help that the leader of the Ace-Ops is so...persistant.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 36
Kudos: 306
Collections: rubess





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate Title: Qrow is a Competent Man(TM) and Talented Huntsman(TM).
> 
> Featuring excessive name-calling and overconfident men totally not flirting with one another. Give the goth twink a hunky boyfriend, you cowards.
> 
> I will most definitely be changing the title at some point but for now, enjoy the first chapter of my Fair Game (stupid fucking ship name) fic that got way too out of hand.

Atlas was different from what Qrow remembered. He’d never spent much time there. It wasn’t worth stepping on Ironwood’s toes, even if pissing him off was one of Qrow’s favorite pastimes. Still, he remembered the city being warmer, somehow. It’s high in the air, stretching above Mantle, but it felt more distant now than it ever was before the fall of Beacon. He especially felt that distance in Mantle, saw it on the faces of the miners and rebel children wandering the streets. 

Their welcome was about what he had expected. In the long list of what was new about Atlas, paranoid seemed to be at the tippy top. While Ruby and her friends all looked around at each other with fear and apprehension, except for Nora, who was trying to chew her way through solid metal, Qrow just sank further in his seat. Getting to James after getting thrown in jail was going to be a goddamn nightmare. He had more important things to deal with than being charged as an “unauthorized huntsman” or whatever the hell that boy scout had called them. Who knows, maybe his bad luck will get even worse and they’d have to deal with Winter instead.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Their airship transport landed at the academy instead of the cellblock and they were all led by their handcuffs straight to Ironwood. Well, Winter was there, too, but she seemed to be a little preoccupied with her heartfelt family reunion. Or, as heartfelt as the ice queen could get. 

James was just as pragmatic as the last time Qrow had seen him, with the addition of a beard and more bags under his eyes than he could count. “It’s so good to see all of you.” The relief was palpable as he spoke. It was the only thing Qrow heard as they all caught up as if the past year had been nothing more than one long, extended vacation. He at least had the decency to look ashamed when Yang called him out on their less-than-warm welcome. 

Ruby’s decision to play things close to the chest had caught him off guard, but Qrow didn’t think it was that bad of an idea. Ironwood’s plan, telling the public the truth about Salem, would only end in disaster. Qrow had to resist walking up to James and shaking him by the shoulders. Had he learned nothing from Ozpin? They spent all of their adult lives keeping this secret and the minute Ozpin disappeared, he prepared to just spill it across the world. Panic was an understatement. When people found out, they would do much, much worse.

By the time Ironwood’s speech was over, Qrow felt overwhelmed and exhausted. There was too much to think about and he felt like he was running on fumes. The kids seemed to be feeling it too. He watched Yang practically collapse onto Blake, who blushed like a peach when she did. Nora was faring about the same but poor Ren didn’t look nearly as pleased. Jaune had some impressive bags under his eyes, along with Weiss and Oscar. Ruby looked dead on her feet even though she tried desperately to keep up with Penny as they strolled out of Ironwood’s office.

They were swiftly met by the Ace-Ops. Qrow hung back. When the kids all started introducing himself, he turned down the nearest hallway and started walking. He didn’t need to lurk behind them like a shadow while they chatted with a bunch of Atlas personnel. This was their first time in Atlas, save for Weiss; they should enjoy it without his personal input on the kingdom’s people.

It wasn’t long before he heard footsteps following him. When Qrow turned to confront who he assumed was James, he was met with the leader of the Ace-Ops.

“If you’re looking for where you’ll be staying, you’re walking in the wrong direction.” Qrow immediately wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. The officer oozed confidence. He stood with his hands on his hips like a goddamn poster for Atlas Academy. It pissed him off.

“Well,” Qrow drawled, “If you would just point me in the right direction, I’ll be on my way.”

He offered an arm, “How about I walk you, instead. These calls can be winding.”

Qrow refused to acknowledge the outstretched arm. He knew for a fact that Atlas Academy was not some winding maze. He’d wandered through these halls enough times to know everything was built with a military sensibility. Which meant easy comings and goings. It was very clear, however, this kid was not going to take no for an answer.

After a few seconds, he caved, “Alright, boy wonder, lead the way.”

The Ace-Op didn’t react to the nickname, which irked him just a little. If Qrow had said something like that to Winter, she’d have her toothpick of a sword pointed at his neck before he could blink. He scoffed and shook his head. It didn’t matter, anyways. If he were lucky, his new escort would stay quiet and Qrow could spend the rest of his evening thinking.

“I’m Clover Ebi. Graduate of Atlas Academy and leader of the Ace-Ops.”

Qrow rolled his eyes and resigned himself to the inevitable conversation, “I didn’t ask.”

“I know,” he grinned, like he was in on some joke, “I’m telling you so what I say next doesn’t come out of the left field for you.”

“And what, exactly, is that?”

The grin fell from his face and was replaced with a blatantly apologetic expression. Qrow had seen it enough times, on both Winter and James, usually when they were about to say something that was complete bullshit, “I wanted to personally apologize for the way you were treated by my team.”

Qrow looked at him skeptically, “Is that so?”

“The way the situation was handled is regrettable,” His face was still twisted into an apologetic look. Qrow had seen this special kind of lie before work wonders on civilians, but he wasn’t some random civilian. He was a huntsman. More than that, he was one of Ozpin’s most trusted. No way he was going to take some insincere apology from a glorified action figure. 

He rounded on Clover with a sharp smile, “You know, Grover, if I were an idiot, I’d actually believe you meant that. But, as luck would have it, I’m not an idiot. You can take your paper mache apology and shove it. Go placate someone else.”

“I assure you, what I’ve said is genuine,” he didn’t flinch. His expression remained the same. 

Qrow sneered at him, “Yeah, well I’ve heard too many “genuine” apologies from Atlas personnel to really believe you.”

“Are you referring to the general?” Clover tilted his head and smirked.

Qrow immediately narrowed his eyes. It felt like a switch had been flipped. The conversation had taken a swift left turn and he was reeling, “Why do you ask?”

“Well,” Clover folded his hands behind his back and leaned forward, “After listening to the general talk about his past fights against Salem’s forces, it would seem that you two have a lot of shared history.”

Qrow snorts, “You could say that.” What an understatement. Their shared history could fill a fucking bible, not that James would ever be the one to admit it. He sighed and let out a humorless chuckle, “You’ll have to ask him about it sometime.”

“Why not ask you?”

His eyebrows shot up. Qrow looked right at Clover, but his neutral expression didn’t falter. He held their gaze, raising a single brow when Qrow didn’t answer right away. After a moment, he frowned and shook his head. There was no way in hell he was going to go about spilling his feelings to some boy scout that could very well be the next James Ironwood. Not on his life, “I don’t think so, kid.”

Clover winced, but he looked rather smug about it, “That bad, huh?”

“When Ironwood sent you to “escort” me to my room, I doubt he really wanted you to grill me on his past,” he deflected. It was a shot in the dark, but he couldn’t think of any other reason the leader of the Ace-Ops, James's hand-picked group of wonder kids, would be walking him through the halls of the most secure facility in all of Remnant. Whether it was true or not, he figured he’d learn a little bit, regardless.

“The general didn’t ask me to come here. Like I said, I wanted to apologize,” Clover frowned at him.

Qrow waved his hand through the air in a sort of mock bow, “And you’ve apologized. It was very noble and poetic. I’m sure the general would have been proud, had he seen it.” He was very rapidly losing his patience. Whatever Clover was looking for, whether it be a history lesson or something else, he wasn’t going to get it. Qrow had been in this game for too long to give up his goat that easily, “You can leave me alone now.”

“You don’t know where you’re going.”

Qrow huffed, “I don’t care.”

There was a beat of silence. Clover watched him with an almost impressed look on his face. He crossed his arms and smirked, “Your reputation precedes you, Qrow Branwen.”

“Oh, does it?” He barked out a laugh. Idly, he wondered what reputation Clover was referring to: the elite huntsman or the blistering drunk. What stories had James been telling these little soldiers? What sort of picture had been painted of him?

“The general warned us that you maybe…” Clover paused, pretending to think, “a bit difficult to work with.” 

Ah, so it was a jaded asshole. Qrow could work with that. Jaded asshole was his default setting.  
“Let me set something straight for you,” He stepped in close, nearly chin to chin with Clover. He didn’t back down, but his confidence faltered. Qrow had to fight the smirk pulling at his lips, “I didn’t come to “work” with you and Ironwood. I’m not some boy scout that James can toss around at his problems,” Clover frowned at that and he could barely keep from rolling his eyes. These Atlas-military types were so predictable. He continued on, “I’m here for my nieces, my family, and that’s it.”

He didn’t wait for Clover to respond. Qrow turned on his heel and continued walking in the direction they were heading. He wasn’t as familiar with Atlas Academy, but he’d find his way around to his rooms eventually. It wasn’t quite the maze that Beacon was. And anyway, if he ended up wandering the campus until dawn, left to himself...well, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. 

“I misspoke,” Clover jogged back up to his side. When Qrow didn’t respond, he kept talking, “It was unprofessional to address a fellow huntsman that way and I---”

“Oh, cut the shit,” Qrow snapped. This was why he hated the Atlas military and the way everyone, including James, carried themselves. It was all about being “professional”, leaving no room for the real emotions real people have. No room for mistakes or petty bickering. When he became general, that’s all James ever cared about. There wasn’t a place for sarcastic, drunken men like Qrow. He’d been clear enough about that.

Clover stayed silent beside him, watching with that same neutral expression every Atlas official watched everyone. At least with Winter, Qrow could manage to pull out a little anger. All of the other officers were nothing but stone. The idea of Yang or Ruby turning into that kind of huntress killed him. He loved their goofy sides and kicking their butts at video games. Things like that never would have happened had they been here in Atlas. 

The silence stretched on between them. Clover had yet to tear his eyes away. When Qrow finally turned to him and held his gaze, he spoke, “So, do you want me to call you an asshole, then?”

The question caught Qrow off guard. He looked at Clover’s completely serious face and burst into laughter. It echoed down the empty halls. He clutched his stomach and when he could breathe, he stuttered out, “You know, you’re the first person to ever ask.”

“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me,” he smiled. No smug confidence, just a genuine smile. It was nice. Crow’s feet pulled at the corners of his eyes. His teeth were annoyingly straight, nothing like the crooked rows of ivories sitting in Qrow’s mouth. He really was the perfect Atlesian officer. Yet, here he was, laughing in the middle of a hallway with Qrow Branwen. Maybe he wasn’t so perfect after all.

How tired he truly was hit Qrow like a brick. He looked down the hallway where they were heading, then back to Clover, “I really wouldn’t mind an escort---”

“Clover,” a deep voice echoed from down the hall. James stepped out, looking about as haggard as Qrow felt, “You should get back to your team.”

Clover didn’t hesitate. He saluted and turned on a dime to go back down the hall, but not before sparing one last glance at the two of them. Qrow couldn’t help himself. He stuck his tongue out. Clover snorted, shook his head, and continued down the hall.

“Qrow,” James snapped before huffing out a resigned sigh, “Do you have to antagonize all of my officers?”

“Only the ones that antagonize me first,” He fired back immediately. James rolled his eyes and Qrow couldn’t fight the small smile that slipped onto his face. This was something he knew, this game that they played back and forth. He slid back into it as if he’d never left. As if they hadn’t gone a year without seeing each other and who knows how long before then, “You look tired, Jimmy.”

He nodded, not even noticing the nickname he despised so much, “I am tired,” He turned towards him and set his hands on his shoulders, “Qrow, I meant it when I said it was good to see you. I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but,” he paused and took a deep breath, “you have no idea how nice it is to see a friendly face.”

He practically collapsed into a hug. Hesitantly, Qrow wrapped his arms around him. James buried his face into his shoulder and took a deep, shuddering breath. He had to admit, it was nice to see him, too. After chasing Ruby halfway across Remnant, nearly losing Haven, and everything with Oz, he had been looking for some friendly faces himself.

James's voice was muffled by his shoulder when he spoke, “We’re friends, right, Qrow? Even after everything…”

“Yeah,” he closed his eyes, “We’re friends.” It had taken a while to get there, but it truly felt like they finally were.

After a beat, James let go. He straightened himself up before giving Qrow an awkward smile, a faint blush high on his cheeks. The smile instantly stretched into a wide yawn, reminding both of them how late it was and how long their respective days had been. 

Qrow patted him on the back once more before meandering down the hallway to where he assumed his bunk was, “Get some rest, James. I’ll find my own way.”

“You’re sure?” It was phrased as a question, but he looked relieved. 

How could he say no to that? “I’m sure,” he turned around and shrugged, “Worst comes to worst, one of your fancy “Ace-Ops” has to swoop in and rescue me.”

James sighed, “I really do apologize---”

“Don’t,” Qrow groaned and rolled his eyes in an exaggerated arc, “I’ve had enough apologies from the both of you. It’s fine, James. Bygones and all that.”

“Right,” he chuckled, “Sleep well, Qrow.”

He gave him a mock salute, “You too, general.” They parted ways.

Qrow did eventually find his bunk. It wasn’t too far from where the girls were, but he had his own room. His own space to spread out in and think about the day’s events. Between landing in Mantle and getting shipped up to Atlas in a crate, there was a lot to ponder over. So much that Ironwood had left untouched in his meeting. The unrest in Mantle was a problem and if James moved forward with his plan of telling the world about Salem, there was going to be an even bigger problem. 

Sleep seemed to evade him. All of these problems flew around in his mind like birds until the sun came up. With that came the morning mission and a new set of clothes, courtesy of James. He set out the pile of folded-up clothes and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. No one would be there to see it, anyways. 

He was summoned to Ironwood’s office at the top of the hour, along with Ruby and Jaune, for a mission debrief. Clover was quick and precise as he explained what was about to go down and what they were all going to be doing. It all happened very fast. Qrow had a sneaking suspicion that they were a last-minute addition James had insisted on. All of Clover’s plans were tailor-made for his team. Ruby, her friends, and Qrow were tacked on at the last minute. He was surprised, however, to see his name next to Clover’s under the team name “Alpha”.

By the end of it, Clover pulled Qrow aside and smiled, “Did you find your bunk ok last night?”

“Yeah, with no help from you,” he grinned

Clover snorted and shook his head. They walked out of Ironwood’s office together, his teal-green eyes on Qrow the whole time. Once the kids had bolted to go play with their new toys, he rounded on Qrow, “So, what do you think?”

It startled him. Clover watched his face with an almost hungry look in his eye. After a beat, Qrow shrugged, “Sounds good to me.” 

Clover rolled his eyes and huffed, “Not exactly the expert huntsman response I was looking for.”

“Hey,” he bit back immediately, “Mission plotting isn’t exactly my forte, alright? Your plan is sound. Let’s see how well it plays out.”

It had been a long time since Qrow had to function in a team setting. His last team fell apart at the seams. Even when he was crossing Anema with the girls, he wasn’t exactly a team player. More like a drunken piece of luggage, which is something he’s not exactly proud of. Ruby’s forgiven him for it because she’s stronger than Qrow ever will be, but that doesn’t mean it’s stopped gnawing on his mind. 

He’s not made for teamwork. It was written into his genetics the day he was born, his semblance was proof of it. So, he was curious to see how this mission went. Apprehensive and a bit uneasy, but curious.

Clover didn’t respond to Qrow’s sorry excuse for a pep talk. He just grinned and shook his head. It wasn’t long before the two of them were supposed to head to an airship. They would be taken to the far side of the mine to scout out some of the more secluded tunnels and push the Geist forwards. He was a little nervous to be bringing his bad luck in a confined space filled with active dust. Clover didn’t seem phased, which means Ironwood didn’t tell him what Qrow’s semblance was, or he was just an over-confident jerk. Who knows, maybe it was both.

Regardless, they headed out pretty soon after the meeting wrapped. Clover seemed content to just lie back and wait for their drop zone, but Qrow felt differently. The tundra was a beautiful sight. The icy wind whipped by his face as he watched the jagged white horizon. He had no qualms standing as close to the edge as he could.

“You should be careful. If you fall out the airship, we won’t be circling back for you,” Clover called out.

Qrow smirked, “Yeah, I’m not too worried.”

The second they were given the go-ahead to drop, Qrow jumped out the side of the airship. If it was only him, he would have shifted and flown down to the mountain with relative ease. But he wasn’t alone; he was with Clover. Qrow still didn’t know what all Ironwood had confided in his precious Ace-Ops and he was hesitant to lay all his cards out on the table, no matter how much they had been bantering. 

When they both landed, Clover didn’t say anything. He nodded towards Qrow with a wry smile on his face and headed into the mountain. It settled whether he knew anything about his ability to shift. He relaxed knowing James hadn’t told them everything and followed him into the tunnels. 

Finding out that Clover’s semblance was good luck felt a little bit like a slap in the face. His semblance was a curse. It had been since he had unlocked it. It was why he kept his distance from the rest of his team. It was why he was hesitant to join up with Ruby and her friends. He couldn’t count the number of times it had nearly gotten someone around him killed. _“Lucky you, huh?”_

What a joke.

There were a few snags but overall, the mission was a success. Clover’s team was impressive, for sure, but Qrow was surprised to find out how little they all seemed to like each other. The minute the Geist was taken care of, they all spread out their separate ways. It was so unlike Ruby and her friends, who all seemed to love each other with everything they have. Team STRQ had been no different. Qrow can picture a hundred missions that ended with Summer jumping into his arms, happy to have taken down something evil. He could see Tai’s beaming smile and even feel Raven’s swift punch to the side of his arm. 

“Not exactly friends, then,” Qrow commented as they all waited for Ironwood and his troops.

Clover didn't look at him. His eyes were trained on his team as they celebrated with the kids, “We’re a team. All that matters is that we work well together.”

“Sure,” Qrow shrugged and stayed silent.

After a moment, Clover looked over at him, eyebrow raised, “What is it?”

“It’s nothing,” he paused, “It’s just not what I’m used to.”

“Because we’re working together while you’re used to being alone?” Clover counters.

Qrow’s gaze sharpened. He tried to ignore how much that little comment stung, “Not exactly. Forget I said anything.” He walked away before Clover could respond. 

Ozpin would have hated the Ace-Ops. He believed in destiny. All of the teams at Beacon were random because it forced students to adapt to and work with people they may have never even spoken to otherwise. He would have never met Summer and Tai if it wasn’t for that system. It worked. It was crazy and fool-hearted, but it worked.

He watched Clover give Ironwood his report. Qrow wondered if it felt like looking in a mirror for him. So much about Clover reminded him of when James was young before he became “General Ironwood”. Back when he was just James. He wondered if he even noticed at all, or if he was too caught up in everything to see what was right in front of him.

After Clover finished his report, Ironwood motioned for Qrow, Ruby, and Jaune to join him. The unrest in Mantle was getting worse. People that were opposed to the general were dying at an alarming rate. James wasn’t concerned about his own reputation but he worried about what the unrest would bring. Qrow had to resist telling him that this was only a fraction of what it would be like if he told the world about Salem. 

Jacques’s abrupt arrival interrupted their conversation. Qrow resigned himself to cornering James in private. If he were lucky (hah), they could have a little chat without any interruptions, just the two of them. There was so much they needed to talk about, between Mantle and his grand plan. Someone had to knock some sense into him and if Oz wasn’t here to do it, then it had to be Qrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featuring ironqrow angst, boys flirting, and my own personal headcanons about Clover's weapon.
> 
> Here is Chapter Two! I'm rapidly trying to finish this little AU before canon suplexes my ideas into a folding table, so you may see more of this later in the week. Also, it may end up being more than three chapters because I can't seem to control myself. Anyway, enjoy!

James’s office was ridiculously large. Qrow had a similar complaint about Ozpin’s office back at Beacon. The use of space wasn’t practical and the large windows made him feel like he was sitting in a fishbowl. The gadgets were different, though. While Ozpin’s office had been built almost like a puzzle box, Ironwood’s was a display of the most advanced technology.

Qrow was sitting at his desk, trying to figure out how to bring the shades down when James walked in. He looked straight at him and sighed, “Not now. I have reports to look over.”

“We need to talk, Jimmy,” he left the buttons alone and slung his feet up on the spotless desk, “Reports can wait.”

A tense silence fell between them. James closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His shoulders were tight. If Qrow was being honest, he looked terrible. The grey at his temples had gotten more prominent. His beard was as unkempt as the rest of his appearance. The only thing that was spotless was the uniform. Typical.

It’d been years since they’d been alone together in the same room. Qrow tried not to think of the last time he was in Atlas but the stage felt all too familiar. The office had been different and back then, Mantle hadn’t been falling apart under their feet, but the scene was the same. He wondered if James felt it too. He opened his eyes and schooled his features. Qrow figured there was no time like the present. 

When he went to speak, James cut him off, “I know what you’re about to say, Qrow.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?” It was so like him to have to get the first word in. 

“I know you well enough, don’t you think?” he let out a humorless chuckle. Qrow couldn’t fight the frown that formed. Whatever James was about to say, he doubted it was something he wanted to hear. The two of them had a mean history of being a bit brutal towards one another. Regardless, Qrow motioned for him to continue, “My Ace-Ops can be trusted. I know you have, well, let’s call it a “problem” with authority.”

“Are you kidding me?” Qrow stood up. He couldn’t help getting defensive, “You really think that’s what this is about?” His issues with the Atlas military went far beyond any “problems” he may have had with authority. Qrow wasn’t a good little soldier like Ironwood but he could take orders when they were coming from a reputable man. His only problem was that in Atlas, the orders were coming from James.

He seemed to completely ignore his indignation, “I know it must be hard, working alongside Clover.”

“Oho, and why’s that?”

James gave him a look that screamed: don’t play dumb. When he refused to say anything else, he sighed, “He’s an elite Atlesian huntsman with a semblance of good luck. That has to be a slap in the face for you.”

It had been exactly that, but Qrow grew up. He knew now that his semblance didn’t define him. He’d battled with it all his life and despite the destruction that seemed to follow him, he came out on top every time. There were times that his semblance almost got the people around him killed but he trained hard to ensure that even if his semblance failed them, Qrow never did. He was an elite huntsman. He’d been regarded as one since his graduation from Beacon. His path wasn’t always clear and he’d made enough mistakes to fill a novel, but he was good. More than that, he did it by himself. He and Raven came from nothing. They built themselves up in the world and turned themselves into some of the greatest huntsman Remnant had ever seen. 

How dare James try and throw that back at him? So much for being “friends”. He could sit in his ivory tower and look down on Qrow all damn day. He’d still rather shoot himself than become a part of some military machine. He let out a low whistle, “You haven’t changed, Jimmy.”

His eyes flashed with annoyance, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Qrow ignored the question. He walked out from behind the desk and descended the few stairs to be face to face with James, “Your little golden boy doesn’t bother me. As far as I’m concerned, he’s just another Atlas officer looking down on everyone else, just like Winter,” he paused, “Just like you.”

James’s fist creaked as he clenched it. His voice was low when he spoke, “You’re out of line, Qrow.”

“And you’re out of your depth, general,” he quipped back, a bitter smirk on his face, “Stop trying to be the next Ozpin. How about you do what you’re supposed to and hold down the fort until he gets back, instead of running off and trying to make the big boy decisions.”

His eyebrow twitched. Qrow made a mental note of it. Must be a bit of a nerve, being compared to Ozpin. No wonder, considering he was doing everything that Oz would have directly opposed had he been there. James’s gaze was blazing, “I’ve had enough. I think it’s time for you to go.”

He wasn’t quite finished. James had been quick to jump on the comparison between Qrow and Clover. What exactly had the honorable General Ironwood been thinking? He sauntered up to him, poking at the flesh part of his chest, “You’ve made the connection before, between Clover and I, haven’t you?,” he hummed, “ I wonder if you're fucking him, too.”

“Enough, Qrow!” James landed a punch neatly on the right side of his jaw. It wasn’t hard enough to put him down but god did it hurt like a bitch. Qrow gently prodded the tender spot as he continued to shout, “Get out!”  


Pain radiated from his jaw. His eyes stung with unshed tears. Qrow pulled himself together as best as he could. He stood up straight, looked James right in the eye, and gave him a quick salute. He kept his voice as even as he could, “Have fun with those reports, Jimmy.” As casual as he could make it, Qrow fled the room. Whatever retort the general may or may not have had was cut off by the doors slamming shut. 

Once he was out and the doors were firmly closed behind him, Qrow leaned back and sighed. That could have gone better. He had intended to talk about James’s plan like a fucking adult but of course, the two of them could never stay civil. It always ended in mud-slinging and both parties saying things they didn’t mean. Not that he thought James regretted saying what he did but he was almost sure he’d regret punching Qrow when he saw the bruise the next morning.

He was lucky it wasn’t the metal hand. That thing could kill someone. He’s seen it before. Lightly, he knocked his head against the door. God, what a disaster. He was no closer to talking Ironwood out of his ridiculous plan. If anything, he’d just taken three steps backward. He wished he could blame it on his semblance but Qrow was pretty sure that one could be chalked up to fool-hearted, stubborn arrogance on both sides.

“Well, that didn’t sound good.”

“Shit,” Qrow startled. He narrowly avoided banging his elbow against Ironwood’s door as he shot up straight. Clover was standing in front of him, admiring his fingernails with a casual interest.

He groaned, “How much of that did you hear?”

Clover shrugged, “Enough.”

“Great,” Qrow deadpanned. He walked down the steps leading up to Ironwood’s office and into the foyer. Clover followed closely behind. He had intended to go back to his bunk, but Clover was practically glued to his hip. Qrow stopped dead in the hallway and looked right at him, “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“Well, I was going to meet with the general in regards to a prospective mission,” he rocked back onto his heels, “but I think he may need a few minutes.” Qrow deflated like a balloon. It was just his luck that Clover would be standing right outside James’s office while they had their little spat. He was just starting to like the guy, too. He was a cocky military officer, sure, but at least he had a sense of humor. And he was handsome. Qrow could appreciate a handsome man.

Clover looked him right in the eyes, “I’m not, by the way.”

“Not what?”

“Fucking the general,” he grinned with just a faint blush on the apples of his cheeks. Qrow felt his whole face burn bright red. He was going to throw himself off the goddamn city. It didn’t matter that he was a bird; he’d accept his death. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. Clover laughed beside him as if he hadn’t just been casually accused of fucking his commanding officer.

Qrow looked up, completely embarrassed, “I didn’t actually think you were.”

“I figured,” he chuckled, the last bits of laughter petering off, “It sounded like something said out of spite more than anything else.”

He grimaced, “Yeah. When you said Ironwood and I have a shared history, it was a bit of an understatement.”

“I’ve gathered that,” he paused. Clover watched him for a brief moment, clearly thinking something. Qrow was about to demand he just say it when he spoke, “You two were together?”

“That’s a nice way of putting it,” he snorted. In their younger days, he and James had a sort of agreement. It didn’t mean anything, not at first. They barely saw each other anyway. Rarely were the two of them ever on the same continent, nonetheless in the same city. It was casual and Qrow liked it that way. If James’s response was anything to go off of, he did too.

When team STRQ started working alongside Ozpin, things got a little tricky. James was rapidly ascending the military ladder. He quickly grew impatient with the casual nature of their relationship. Qrow wasn’t exactly proud of how he acted during that time. He was snarky and self-absorbed, especially after Raven left. He didn’t care about their relationship as much as he should have.

Eventually, James had to choose between dedicating his time to Ozpin and dedicating his time to Atlas. He chose Atlas. It hadn’t come as a surprise to Ozpin but it knocked Qrow off his feet. They never really talked about it after that. James’s position as headmaster meant he continued to work with Oz, but their relationship had come to a full stop.

It had hurt, being cut off like that but Qrow knew if he had been paying attention, he would have seen it coming. He liked to think he was a better person now but the conversation that just occurred seemed to prove the opposite. They both seemed to fall into their same old routine of making life hell for one another.

“I can imagine that must have been,” Clover deliberated over his words carefully, “complicated.”

Qrow nodded, “It was. I’m a different person now than who I was back then. James is too. I’d like to think we’ve both moved on but apparently not.” Shame flooded through his entire body. He had worked so hard to be a better person than he used to be. He tried to dedicate more time to Yang and Ruby. Quitting drinking came a bit later than it probably should have but he was still trying. What was it about James that brought back those old habits? 

God, he could use a drink. 

Clover put a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to notice Qrow’s rapidly tanking mood, “I think you’re doing alright. Your nieces seem to adore you if nothing else.”

He let out a puff of laughter, “At least I have that going for me.”

“And hey,” he thumped Qrow on the back, “You aren’t a bad fighter, either. No match for me, of course, but not bad.”

He gave him a playful glare, “Them’s fighting words, kid.”

“Don’t call me kid,” he winked and started to walk away. When Qrow didn’t immediately follow, he turned around and gave him a look that could only be described as exasperated fondness. It made the blush in Qrow’s cheeks flare up again, “Are you coming or not?”

“Where are we going?” he stuttered out.

Clover quirked an eyebrow, “The arena. I wanna see what that sword can do.”

He hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t smart to leave James to simmer in his own anger. Qrow ought to go back and apologize but he wasn’t exactly feeling apologetic. He knew it was childish, but James started it. He fired in, telling Qrow that he knew exactly what he was about to say as if they even knew each other at all anymore. As if he wasn’t capable of changing. That was it. He was still the same old Qrow in Ironwood’s eyes; a blathering, drunken hotshot who only cared about himself. Well, it wasn’t up to Qrow to prove him wrong. He didn’t have anything to prove. 

After a beat, he nodded at Clover and followed him down the hall towards the arena. It wasn’t a far walk. Each of them stayed silent for most of the way there until Clover began typing in the entry code, “If we’re lucky, it’ll be empty.”

Qrow rolled his eyes, “Is this what it’s like with you? Constant luck jokes?” The keypad flashed green and the doors slid open, revealing an empty arena. Clover didn’t say anything, but he did look back at him with a smug grin. “Shut up,” he grumbled.

It didn’t take long for Clover to punch in all the settings for the arena. The neon floor shifted to a light terrain, nothing too massive. This truly was going to be a one on one fight. Qrow had to resist the Cheshire cat grin that threatened to overtake his features. He hadn’t even realized how much he was itching for a fight after his confrontation with James. While he was curious to see what Clover could do, he was more thrilled with the idea of beating his cockiness into the dirt.

Once everything was properly set, the two of them squared off on opposite sides. Qrow watched Clover adjust his badge before pulling out Kingfisher, “Go easy on me, old man,” he called from across the arena.

Qrow grinned and muttered under his breath, “Not a chance.”

He darted forward with incredible speed. Clover dodged to the side easily. He swung his line in a wide arc, aiming to trip him up. It didn’t work and he couldn’t hide the small frustrated look on his face. Qrow idly wondered how much Clover truly relied on his semblance. He felt his own bubbling under the surface of his skin as he ran around the arena, ducking under the occasional hook that got too close for comfort. Taking a deep breath, he willed his semblance to spread. Clover’s next swing sent the hook flying directly towards him. Qrow knocked it away with a swift swing of Harbinger and embedded the hook into the ground. Clover tugged on it once, twice, but it didn’t budge. 

He nodded at Qrow with a mildly impressed look, “Nicely done.”

“Why thank you,” he dipped into a quick bow that made Clover chuckle.

With a click and one final tug, the fishing line detached itself from the tip of Clover’s weapon. Qrow watched it transform itself into an impressive rapier, not unlike the blades each Schnee wielded. He swung it in a practiced arc before settling into an offensive stance, “It’s not over yet.”

Before Qrow could respond, he burst forward. He drew Harbinger up to deflect by pure instinct. The two swords clashed with a cacophony that echoed around the empty training facility. He felt the impact in his hands and shifted his stance to push against Clover’s weight. It seemed his biceps were more than just for show. He looked at Qrow with a challenging heat in his gaze, practically begging the huntsman to beat him.

“That’s a swanky sword you got there,” he gritted out as the two of them pushed against one another.

“I can’t help but notice that yours is bigger,” Clover smirked, “Compensating for something?”

Qrow ignored the blush that rose to his cheeks. He seemed to be doing a lot of that today. Instead, he flicked a switch on Harbinger. The sections of his sword pulled apart with a heavy clang and formed themselves into a scythe. It caught Clover off guard. With one last push, Qrow sent him flying backward. He swung the scythe around a few times before slamming the tip down on the ground in front of him, aimed directly at Clover.

He recovered quickly, jumping back into the fight. In the end, it wasn’t much of a fight. Clover was a fine huntsman, but with Qrow’s semblance canceling out his own, he never stood a chance against him. Qrow had more field experience and his few less-than-playful bouts with Winter had taught him enough about how Atlesian officers were trained to duel. The match ended with Clover on his ass, Kingfisher halfway across the room, and Harbinger hovering directly at his neck.

Qrow smirked down at him, “Yield.”

Clover was breathing heavy. He watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. His eyes were still blazing with that intense heat. A pleased smile overtook his features and he put his hands up, “I yield.”

Qrow grabbed one of his hands and hauled the huntsman up to his feet, “You want some expert huntsman advice?” He quirked an eyebrow. Clover rolled his eyes but kept listening, “Stop relying on your semblance. Luck can only take you so far.”

He took a deep breath. Both of them were still breathing hard. The two of them stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Clover had yet to drop the heated look in his eyes. Qrow felt his gaze travel up and down. Tiny shockwaves of excitement bounced through his nerves. How long had it been since he felt like this after a battle? Exhilarated and wanting more. It was addicting.

“Impressive,” the sound of Winter Schee’s sarcastic voice shattered the moment like glass. Clover’s expression fell into something neutral as he turned towards his fellow officer, stood at attention. She stalked forward. The click of her heels echoed throughout the empty training room. Her steely gaze shifted from Clover to Qrow.

He cut in before she could say anything more, “Don’t you know it’s rude to eavesdrop, Ice Queen?” Her eyes flashed with irritation. Qrow smirked. He tried to lock eyes with Clover, but his gaze was focused forwards. 

“Don’t,” she hissed out. Fury rolled off her in waves. Mentally, he went down the list of things he’d done that may or may not have pissed her off but he came up surprisingly empty. Her fists tightened by her, straining the fabric of her gloves. All he could hope for was that if she was going to punch him, she’d nail his left side instead of the right. 

Before she said anything else, she took in a deep breath. Her shoulders dropped and she threw him a crippling glare, “I really have no idea how you have managed to so thoroughly anger General Ironwood. You haven’t even been here a week, Qrow. If this is how you intend to behave there will be consequences.”

The reminder of his earlier fight with James sunk his heart like an airship. He felt every bit of adrenaline leave his body at once. His face fell, “Oh, right.”

There must have been something in his tone of voice that threw her off. Winter’s icy glare melted and she looked at him with something akin to concern, “What is it?”

“It’s nothing, Ice Queen. Don’t worry about it.” He tried to throw some of his usual snark into his voice but his heart wasn’t in it. Winter didn’t buy it for a second, he could tell. 

Clover cut in before she could say anything more, “Winter, I had some future mission strategies that I had hoped to discuss with the general but from the sounds of it, he seems indisposed.” It was generous of him to play dumb. Lord knows how Winter would react if she knew what exactly Qrow had said to make Ironwood so angry. He sent Clover a silent ‘thank you’ with his eyes and hoped he got the meaning across. He shot Qrow a look back but it was too quick for him to catch, “Would you be willing to go over them with me? When I present them to the general, already having your approval would be paramount.”

She seemed hesitant to let Qrow go so easily but after a moment of thought, she caved, “Very well. We can talk on the way to my office.” Without another word, she turned on her heel and strutted towards the door. Clover followed before Qrow could get a word in.

The door slid shut behind them and in an instant, Qrow was left alone in the training hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated! Thank you for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featuring a wholesome Uncle Qrow, Winter being the smartest person in the room, and you know... ;)
> 
> So uhm, this is totally going to be more than three chapters. I'm thinking it's going to be around five. I have no self-control, as previously stated. Also, I edited this today, like 10 minutes ago, so it may be chock-full of errors. Regardless, enjoy the chapter!

The next week seemed to pass in a blur. There was so much to be done in both Atlas and Mantle. Qrow went out on mission after mission with team RWBY and JNR. He even went out with a few of the Ace-Ops. That was probably the most interesting part of it all. It quickly became clear that their team had a system, a sort of rhythm to their fighting. If you could disrupt that rhythm, their entire team fell apart. It wasn’t a glaring weakness but it was a problem. One that needed to be fixed if they were going to go up against Salem. Or rather, when.

Throughout it all, Qrow didn’t see James once. 

He wasn’t sure who was avoiding whom at this point. When they fought like this in the past, Qrow would just disappear on a mission for a few months. He’d come back and James would roll his eyes but the tension would be gone. That wasn’t an option this go-round. He had to stay in Atlas for his family and that meant dealing with this now, one way or another. As unfortunate as it may be.

Clover was surprisingly tight-lipped about everything since their first sparring session. They had encountered each other on the training floor again, but he was as no-nonsense as the leader of the Ace-Ops was expected to be. He barely even looked at Qrow. It cranked the tension between all of them up to an eleven.

Even Ruby could see there was a problem. She cornered Qrow while they were out on a supply run together, “Uncle Qrow, what’s going on?” Her eyes were wide and open. It was ridiculous how much she reminded him of Summer. They both have that insatiable need to make things right, no matter how difficult it may seem. It drove the rest of team STRQ mad but after everything that’s happened, he was glad to see that Ruby was just as determined as ever.

He just wished it was directed at someone else, not him, “Everything’s fine, kid.”

“Is that why General Ironwood refuses to speak to you? Because everything is fine?” She gave him a skeptical look. There was just a quirk of a grin at the corner of her mouth. It was something he would have done, had the roles been reversed. He silently cursed Tai for raising such smart kids.

The two of them were crammed in a supply car racing across the tundra. There was no way he was going to escape from this. Qrow sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable, “Ruby, Ironwood and I don’t exactly see eye to eye.” 

She tilted her head, confused, “You two worked together alongside Ozpin for so long, though.”

“Yeah, and very rarely was it smooth sailing,” he grimaced. This was the last thing he wanted to talk about. Ruby may be waiting a bit to tell Ironwood the truth about Salem and Ozpin but she trusted him. She believed he was trying to do the right thing. He didn’t want to cast doubt on James, even if he didn’t exactly agree with what he was doing. It wasn’t his job to push Ruby one way or the other. He just wanted to support her in whatever decision she made and catch her if and when she fell.

Her face was scrunched into a frown. She looked from Qrow to the Atlas drones that were driving the supply truck towards the Amity tower site. The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, “What do you think of Ironwood’s plan to tell the world about...about Salem?”

Qrow closed his eyes, “I don’t know, Ruby.” Her shoulders dropped and she rested her head against his shoulder. He gave her a gentle pat on the head, “It’s tricky, being in charge. All you can do is try your hardest to do what’s right.”

“How do I do that? How do I know that what I’m doing is what’s right?” 

He shrugged, “You can’t know, not for sure but if you talk to the people you trust and ask for help, they’ll do what they can to make sure you aren’t making these decisions alone.” It’s a hard lesson to learn, one that Qrow was still learning. He wasn’t great at asking for help. No huntsman is. They’re all trained to be self-sufficient and to operate alone but fighting a threat like Salem isn’t something you can do alone. He wondered if that was the real driving force of Ironwood’s plan.

Ruby crushed him in a hug, squishing her face against his chest, “Thanks,” she murmured. He happily returned her hug. She was the reason he was there, after all. He pressed a kiss into the top of her head. She was a beacon of light and hope and it was his job to make sure that beacon kept shining, even on the darkest days. The responsibility that weighed on her shoulders was intense and if there was anything he could do to lighten that load, he’d do it in a heartbeat. 

The rest of their supply run passed without much action. When they returned to the academy, Ruby practically jumped on her teammates. He watched Yang lift her by the waist and toss her onto her shoulder, both of them giggling the whole time. It made him smile. They deserved to keep being their goofy selves even if the world around them was going to shit.

Qrow’s scroll pinged in his pocket just as Yang looked over at him and shouted, “Uncle Qrow! Come let me kick your ass in video games.”

He didn’t hesitate, “You wish, firecracker.” It was easy to follow the girls back to their dorm. Whoever it was that was messaging him could wait. He had more important things to do. 

Yang did not, in fact, kick his ass. She didn’t even come close. He teased her about it relentlessly, even after the Belladonna girl managed to shove both of them into the dirt, despite having never played the game before. Yang had chalked it up to beginner’s luck then promptly forgot all about her uncle, choosing to pester Blake until she was nothing but a pile of giggles. Qrow appreciated that ‘being a relentless flirt’ was one of the Branwen traits Raven managed to pass down to her daughter. 

As much as she did remind him of his sister, he was happy to see there was so much Tai in Yang. She joked and laughed and smiled just like him. He and Tai seemed to butt heads at every turn but he was proud of how well he had raised Yang and Ruby. Between Raven and Summer, their childhoods could have been messed up beyond repair but they weren’t. Tai was a good father who loved his daughters more than anything in the world. The least Qrow could do was spend the day distracting them from their responsibilities.

The rest of the day flew by. He had completely forgotten about his scroll when he got back to his room later that night. He tossed it onto the table beside his bed before stripping down for the evening. As he crawled in, ready for a night of restless sleep, someone knocked on his door. He cracked a yawn and resolved to pretend he hadn’t heard it.

The knock came again. With a loud groan, he rolled out of bed. He pulled himself to his feet and marched towards the door. Whoever it was better have a good goddamn reason for bothering him at whatever fucking time it was. 

Qrow flung the door open.

Winter looked as pissed as ever, but her cheeks turned a faint pink at the sight of him, “Brothers, Qrow. Could you please put some pants on? Unless you’d rather trudge through the academy dressed only in your boxers.”

He quickly recovered from the initial shock of seeing her, “It sure wouldn’t be the first time.” She rolled her eyes. Winter, of all people, was not who he had been expecting a nighttime visit from. Qrow had expected James and maybe, just maybe, hoped for Clover. There was a lot of unresolved tension surrounding that portion of his life. He was wondering if some of it would finally be resolved. 

Apparently not. Winter stared at him expectantly, “I don’t have all night, Qrow. Get dressed.”

He quickly threw on his clothes from the day before and followed her out into the hall. The academy was deserted. There was a strict curfew on weekdays and according to Penny, they weren’t in a very populated part of the school. 

Winter drove them forward at a brisk pace. Her heels barely made a noise as they wound their way around the school. About ten minutes into their walk, he started to get a little suspicious, “Where exactly are we heading, Ice Queen.”

She didn’t stop moving, “You didn’t get my message, did you?”

Qrow was instantly reminded of the ping his scroll had received earlier that day. He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged, “It’s been a long day.”

“You’re the most infuriating---” she cut herself off and sighed. Gently, she pinched the bridge of her nose between her two fingers, “There are important matters we need to discuss. While my office would be ideal, it’s not exactly where I want to…” she faded off. Qrow was a second away from prompting her to continue when she spoke.

“I’m worried about the general.”

He stopped mid-stride. Winter stopped as well. She wouldn’t look at him, no doubt unwilling to face the reality of what she had just admitted. Qrow was still reeling from it. Time after time, Winter had been the one defending the general’s actions. She defended him at Beacon. She doubled down on everything he had said and did with a ferocity that could not be challenged but here she was, meeting with Qrow in the dead of night to admit that something was wrong.

For a moment he almost teased her like he normally would, but then he thought about how much Winter must have fought with herself before coming to see him. How difficult was it to stand in front of him and say that her faith was shaken? Not in so many words, of course, but Qrow could read between the lines. Ironwood wasn’t a man you “worried” about when shit went sideways. He was a man you started to doubt.

“I am too,” he confessed. 

She looked up at him then. To his dismay, tears started to well at the corners of her eyes. Winter wiped them away furiously before standing up straight and addressing him, her voice only shaking a little, “What do we do?”

Qrow let out a deep sigh. He ran his hands over his face and through, “I don’t know.” He wished Ozpin were there. If anyone knew how to put James in his place, it was him, “When’s the last time the guy took a goddamn break?”

Winter snorted, “Before the fall of Beacon.”

It was true, it had to be. With the embargo and having Jacques Schnee up his ass at all times, Qrow couldn’t imagine James having any time to breathe, nonetheless relax. It made him regret the conversation they had even more. How would James have known that he had changed? He didn’t have time to speculate over the finer points of Qrow’s personality. It didn’t excuse the way that they treated one another, but it made it a little less senseless. James was pure instinct at this point.

“Jeez,” he ran his fingers through his hair, “We have to do something. His plan, Winter. Telling the world about Salem? It’s not gonna end well.”

Her shoulders dropped, “I know. With everything that’s been happening in Mantle, he’s losing his credibility. At this point, I’m not even sure the people of Atlas would believe him,” she sighed, “I’ve been trying to talk to him but he won’t listen. Not to me.”

“Yeah, well, me neither,” Qrow walked over and slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. No use standing around. It was obvious Winter never had a destination for the two of them. She just needed to get him out and get him talking. 

After a moment, she joined him. Her uniform wrinkled as she gracefully landed in a sitting position. When she noticed, she straightened it out. Qrow couldn’t help rolling his eyes. She caught his look and rolled her eyes in response, “We’re quite the team, aren’t we?” The two of them stared out into the empty hallway. Winter looked down at her boots, “Do you think we can convince him?”

“We have to.” There was no other option. If James went through with his plan, Atlas and Mantle would fall into complete chaos. If they even believed him in the first place. Something had to give. James was slipping. Qrow didn’t know if the council simply hadn’t cared to notice or if they were planning to use it to their advantage like Jacques was. It didn’t matter. They had to do something before it all fell apart.

“We should meet with him privately, just the two of us,” she chewed at her bottom lip, “We’ll have to be patient with him.”

“Not exactly our forte,” Qrow winked at her. 

She cracked a smile that quickly fell away, “I know but we’ll have to try. He’s going to feel cornered like we’re turning against him.”

“We are turning against him, Ice Queen.” They were. Holy shit, they absolutely were. Qrow could feel the apprehension boiling in his stomach. There was no way this all ended well. No matter how gentle and patient they were, James was going to react with force. That’s how he always reacted. He was going to see them as a threat and immediately move to neutralize that threat. For Winter, it’d be stripping her of her rank. For Qrow, it’d be kicking him out of Atlas for good.

She sighed, “We don’t have a choice, Qrow.”

“I know, but we have to be smart about this,” He stood up and offered a hand to her, “Let me talk to him first, ok? We push each other’s buttons like crazy but we’re on equal ground. If he pushes me around, I can push back without losing my entire career,” he gave her a meaningful look. Winter closed her eyes. Qrow knew how much she enjoyed her job. As much as he loved to make fun of her for it, she was a good soldier and a smart woman. She didn’t deserve to lose everything just because her commanding officer couldn’t handle being wrong.

“Are you sure?” she looked at him with worried eyes.

Qrow flashed a smile, “Of course. What’s the worst that could happen?” Winter snorted. He gave her a quick once over. She looked exhausted, as much as James had. He wondered if she hadn’t been given a break since the fall of Beacon either. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder, “Get some rest, Winter. I’ll talk to James tomorrow. One way or another, we’ll get this sorted out.”

After a moment, she nodded. She started to walk back towards her quarters before pausing. Without turning around, she whispered, “Thank you, Qrow.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he waved a hand in the air. She shook her head and continued down the hall. Once Winter disappeared around a corner, he let out a long sigh. God, what a mess. There was almost no chance James would listen to him, not after their last argument but he had to try. Winter was right. He was losing his credibility and that would be disastrous. If Atlas lost faith in Ironwood, the council wouldn’t hesitate to revoke his privileges or even force him to step down.

He wouldn’t, of course. James would never willingly give up his position as general. He won’t go down without a fight and that was even worse. Atlas couldn’t afford a civil war. Mantle was already attracting an increased amount of Grimm. A war would mean absolute devastation.

Qrow groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. He really did hate this. Things were much easier when his biggest worry was whether Ozpin would finally make him retire. He’d rather deal with that any day.

“Rough night?” Clover emerged from the direction Winter had left in. He gave him a quick once-over. 

“Rough life,” Qrow replied. He ran his fingers through his hair. Clover chuckled, which made him smile, “You know, you never did escort me to my room, oh knight in shining armor.” He held his hand against his forehead and dipped back as far as he dared to, considering how tired he was.

Clover smiled, “Well, allow me to remedy that.” He stuck an arm out. This time, Qrow took it. 

After a few minutes of walking down the halls in companionable silence, Qrow looked over at him, “You’ve been busy.” It wasn’t a question. Clover’s been off on mission after mission, courtesy of Ironwood. That wasn’t really what he was referring to, of course. They all had moments of downtime and even though their paths have crossed numerous times, they’ve barely said a word to one another.

Clover huffed out a laugh, “Yeah, just some things I needed to work out.”

Qrow gently untangled their arms. “What kind of things?” he pressed. Anything that would keep the topic of conversation away from himself would be ideal. He didn’t want to get into the argument he had with James, not after the conversation that he just had with Winter.

Clover went quiet beside him. He stared blankly at the hallway that stretched in front of them. There was something off about him. Qrow had spent enough time around Clover to know that he normally exuded confidence. Now, he was almost jittering with nervous energy. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he was resolutely not looking at Qrow.

They spent the rest of the walk back to Qrow’s room in awkward silence. When he went to go open the door, Clover stopped him with a hand on his chest. The two of them stood in the middle of the hallway, still as can be. Qrow turned to ask him what the hell was going on but he was interrupted by a pair of lips pressed firmly against his own.

His skin was so warm. The hand against his chest radiated heat that spread across his body. Clover fisted said hand into his shirt and pulled them closer together. They stumbled back into the door with the force of it. Qrow settled his hands on either side of Clover’s head and fell further into this kiss. It was intoxicating. 

The two of them broke apart to breathe. Qrow pushed himself away from the door. He worried for a moment that he was going to pass out. When was the last time he had kissed someone, really kissed them? He couldn’t remember. He was almost sure it hadn’t felt like that. There was something electric between the two of them. Qrow had to resist bringing a hand up to feel his own lips.

Clover was still leaning against the door, looking at him with lidded eyes. His chest rose and fell with every breath. Qrow couldn’t help but watch. 

“See, it’s that kind of look that got us into this,” he laughed, still breathless.

Qrow’s gaze turned quizzical, “What kind of look?”

“When we were sparring in the arena last week, you looked at me like…” his eyes went a little wide. He caught his tongue between his teeth and sucked in a deep breath. Qrow didn’t take his eyes off him. His cheeks flushed pink and he continued, “like you wanted to eat me alive.”

Qrow nearly swallowed his tongue. His ears felt like they were on fire. This was undoubtedly how he had been feeling back during their sparring match. Part of him wanted to sink into the floor, never to be seen from again. The other part of him wanted to know exactly how much Clover had enjoyed it when Qrow looked at him like that. He tugged at his hair, “Is that a bad thing?”

He laughed, “No but it did cause some, uh, problems.”

The realization hit him like a fucking brick, “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?” Clover blushed hard. He scratched his fingers through his hair and gave him a helpless shrug. Qrow couldn’t help himself. He pushed himself right back into Clover’s space and kissed him again.

It was even better the second time. This time, he was ready. Clover was adorably inexperienced, which didn’t surprise him so much. It was just one more thing he had more experience with. He angled his head and lightly tilted Clover’s jaw to match his movements. The two of them pushed and pulled like they’d been doing this for hours. He wished they’d been doing it for hours. Qrow nibbled his bottom lip before pulling away, “As fun as this is, I’d rather not get caught making out in the hallway like a couple of horny teenagers.”

Clover bit his bottom lip, “Can I...come in?”

Qrow’s eyes went wide. It was a horrible idea. He was too close to so much. Clover was Ironwood’s golden boy, the leader of his specialized team. If he and Winter actually did what they were planning on doing, they were going to be met with opposition. James was going to be furious and that maybe meant sicking the Ace-Op’s on them. So yes, it was a horrible idea.

“Yeah, sure,” he stuttered out. Qrow moved to unlock the door. It swung open and he held a hand out, “After you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will not be writing smut for this but if anyone wants to, go for it. Send links ;);;)));)

**Author's Note:**

> A comment is always appreciated!


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